Career Criminal Charged In Cell Phone Store Robbery

POMPANO BEACH (CBSMiami) – A Pompano Beach man with a checkered legal past has been charged in last month’s robbery of a cell phone store.

On February 13th, just before 6 p.m., Anthony Smith walked into a Metro PCS store on Copans Road in Pompano Beach and demanded money from the clerk at gunpoint, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

The store clerk, Jimmy Rene, was helping two costumers when Smith charged in and pointed a gun at his head. Smith, 35, demanded the cash in the register. Once he had the money he fled the store.

Using surveillance video of the robbery, the sheriff’s office was able to identify Smith and subsequently take him into custody.

He’s been charged with two counts of armed robbery.

In the last 15 years, Smith has been arrested 17 times. According to the sheriff’s office, charges included lewd and lascivious battery of a child less than 16 years of age, impregnating a minor, contributing the delinquency of a child, cocaine possession, cocaine possession with intent to sell, cannabis possession and multiple probation violations.